


BETTE.

by roseredwritings



Category: Gone Series - Michael Grant
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:48:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24257689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseredwritings/pseuds/roseredwritings
Summary: A one-shot from the perspective of minor character Bette during some events of the GONE book by Micheal Grant. Credit to him for the concept and idea, as this takes a few lines and scenes from the canon novel as it is set during those. There's some scenes of violence within, but you all know the gist of it, if you've read the book.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 4





	BETTE.

She was always slightly on the edge throughout classes – never able to sit still for long enough to get through them without shifting about a bit, doodling on the pages of her exercise books. Always to the dismay of her teachers, that. They’d take in the books for marking, and always, without fail, the margins would have a scribbled note in them (barely decipherable, of course, those red notes), telling her that she shouldn’t tarnish her schoolwork with drawings. Doodling wasn’t appropriate for the school-purchased paper. It always got at her that, though she never argued back, always smiling. Always amiable, Bette was. It just got at her, though. For what else did they want her to do as she started jiggling a little bored and tired in class? Fall asleep or yawn? Now that’d be even more plain disrespectful. So she sat in her chair, fingers wrapped around her pen, trying to not doodle as Mr Trentlake droned on about the Civil War. Occasionally glancing around her surroundings, the likes of Josh just next to her.

It was how she’d found herself with her nickname, that habit of never being able to sit still. Bouncing Bette. Never able to fully sit still, though she’d then always let out a little joking groan when it came to P.E as they all did. People liked her, well enough. She wasn’t the most popular girl, but she was appreciated, people thought she was sweet enough. More a follower than a leader, but people tended to like that amiable nature she held.

Palm resting against her cheek, pen absentminded now on the pages as ink fluttered into random shapes on the lined paper, all in all it felt like a regular third-period history class. Nothing remarkable whatsoever, until-

Poof.

Not a poof like a full-on poof with something visibly happening to mark his disappearing. Poof as in, quite literally, there one moment, gone the next, blended away into the whatever with no notice, nothing to feast their eyes on. Uncapped pen stopped dancing upon the paper as she sat up, brows furrowing. Mr Trentlake. And Josh also, she was pretty confident about, though she hadn’t had eyes on both. Thankfully, a scan around the room suggested she wasn’t the only one to have seen such a thing – or rather, lack of anything. It wasn’t…scary. More like weird. The offset of giggles a group of pupils always had to do with the slightest happening, especially when it involved the teacher. Some started to hesitantly rise from their desks, like that moment when you just knew the bell was about to ring, but the teacher wouldn’t quite let you pack up and go yet. Some started to look around, as some started to talk. She listened to the conversation, pinging back and forth between the various utterances until she started to catch some people looking at her. By her, she meant her general vicinity – more like right next to her, where someone wasn’t sitting anymore.

“Yes, he was here. He was sitting right next to me,” She managed to speak directly, as people started to question his whereabouts. “He just, you know, disappeared. Just like Mr. Trentlake”. Trying to explain, even if she herself didn’t understand. Two people had poofed without reason, at the same time. It seemed impossible. Even if it was possible, she hadn’t imagined Josh and Trentlake to be such…. student teacher chums to come up with such a prank. Hardly Trentlake style at all. Still, her eyes went to the door all the same, ready for them to come in. Josh, he’d sit down, and she’d give him a nudge, laugh over the joke with a little confusion on her behalf.

//

Things had started moving along from the initial rush of raiding vending machines and realising there were no adults about. Now, the tracks were being built a little more along the lines of fear. Some had that rush still in them, but the younger kids, lost and scared, and those older, enough to realise things weren’t quite right, had started to feel that cold tracing of a chill. Her first instinct upon this was to go out of the school, find her little brother. It didn’t feel enough, to just hang around inside, or mess around with the other kids. Not when he was out there, probably worried. Scooting past the clusters wild in the hallways, she pressed through to leave. There was something good about the fresh air washing across her, the girl breathing it in, though something about the air felt a little still. The scenes were starting to look a little darker. The groups inside straggling out, huddled close, though it was still early stages. Never mind them, though.

//

“It’s just like a picnic, a game of hide and seek, huh? Yeah, that’s right. Go on, make the most of the Coke while we can,” She laughed, though an undertone of fear shook beneath, encouraging her brother to drink some more of the fizzy drink she’d managed to get her hands on. A candy bar, a can, and the brother and sister sat around with so many who had their own stories going on. It wasn’t something anyone understood, and nobody was stepping up, so they just sat there. Occasionally shifting around to speak to another few people, another chunk of the bar, she just wanted her parents back. Sitting down for dinner, speaking over the day, things had always seemed alright in those hours. It hadn’t been long without them, but the fear wrapped around all the kids amplified the longing more. The ones they wanted the loving hugs from the most had been the ones to poof on them. The environment, though chilled enough in nature, had tension to cut with a knife. It didn’t help that, amidst the chatter of children, some screams had started to pour through, and a fire had hit their sight of vision.

“Oh my god – what’s happening up there?”.

“That’s on fire! It’s on fire!”.

“Someone call the fire department!”. “There’s no one from there here anymore, stupid”.

“What are we gonna do-?”.

The kids, they just watched. Petrified, not knowing what to do. Just kids, a blend of littles to those fourteen, not a soul above. Starting to stand up, she clutched her brother close to her, whispering that it was going to be alright. As they just watched.

Time passed like this for a few moments, until someone started grabbing onto kids, gearing them into action. Looking around, a sigh of relief washed over her, realising who it was. Sam Temple! Of all the people, school bus Sam had taken things into hand, just like he’d done once before. Alright, that was something good, even if the fire was not. Hands twitched at her sides, not assigned a duty, instead watching and waiting. Hand moved to clasp at her brother, bending down a little to his level, as a voice broke out from the blazing building. A little girl. Oh god. She trusted him though, Sam, as he went inside.

The little girl. She wasn’t saved. Bette couldn’t help but double back a little as came from the building. One death already happened in the strange whatever they lived in now. All she could do was hope they wouldn’t be another.

But Sam had tried, right? That was hopeful. He might just be the signal of hope they need. More like him, and they might be alright.

//

Everyone knew about the Coates kids. Heard about them, at least. Like with any schools near one another, there was some feud always known, though never really acted upon. They had to put the past behind them, however, Bette thought, when they first came. Admittedly, she felt put out by the smoothness of their cars, slickness of their uniforms, the comforting way their leader tried to speak. Like she wasn’t quite good enough, just a girl from Perdido Beach. She was nothing though, if not welcoming. Shy enough, she didn’t stand in the direct front of the gathering, though she hovered near, trying to brighten up their cheeks. Taking the courage to put a name forward when the yellow-sweatered one spoke.

“Sam Temple here went into a burning building to save a little girl. He can speak for me, anyway,”. She spoke up, feeling better, she could trust him, their mean speaker. There was something about him that made one feel…better. The chorus of voices starting to speak around her helped with her feeling better also, innocent sprouting upwards of lips as she nodded. Even if he didn’t seem to think he was good enough, she had faith that he was.

//

Awe lit up in tendrils across the face of Bette as the small balls of light hovered beautiful around her. Like miniature suns circling around her. It had first come from her out of frustration, a huff as her brother tugged on her shirt whilst she was trying to find a torch the night before. He’d needed light, and then they spread forth. She couldn’t really control them, but these little balls of light, they seemed harmless at least. Now, the next morning, she’d found a few others in her house to show it to. Bouncing Bette, able to do what seemed a magic trick so naturally. It was kinda cool. And her brother, he liked it, his smile was enough to make her proud about it. A few others from neighbouring frat-like houses had gathered around her to watch. She had to admit, she felt a little popular. Rare, a little consuming and weird to have eyes on her, but nice. There’d been a guy from Coates there for a short while, but he’d seemingly grown bored and left. She hadn’t expected to see him strolling back down then, with a few other people. Orc. Karl. She knew those two, and something about seeing Orc left a bad taste in her mouth, hands going down to her side as he approached. He didn’t seem happy. The aluminon bats in their hands suggested the same.

“Orc- everything alright?” She tried to ask, a shiver of a smile trembling across her features as he approached her further. Head tilting to encourage her brother to move further back as the others inched away. Hands weaving to go behind her back, those little magic hands.

“Chaz here passed on a little message about you. Magic tricks, huh?” Voice hard, though with that amusement of threat that the bullies of the world liked to intonate in. “And as Deputy Sheriff,” Teasing pride lifting up in tone, from bully to enforcer, “I’m not too sure I can permit such a thing,”.

“It’s nothing, I swear! Just a trick, my brother seemed to like the lights. C’mon Orc, what’s so wrong with it…” Trailing away as she tried to defend herself, those around her adding on, the pat he gave against his bat gave them all pause for thought.

“Yeah, well, it doesn’t seem like a nice trick to me. In fact, I’m pretty sure it goes directly against the new town rules. Chaz?” Orc echoed for the Coates kid to utter the rule.

“Number eight. People will not perform magic tricks or any other action that causes fear or worry. Order of Mayor Caine himself,” Chaz repeated, flourishing the paper.

“I- I didn’t even know that was a thing! Please, Orc, I’m sorry, okay. It won’t happen again– I don’t even know how it happened,” Escalation of fear rising in her voice, breaths grew heavier as he swung the bat thrice, slapping it firm into his hand with each swing. Her fingers racing against the palms of her hand, Bette circled them around, keeping an unsteady focus on the bat-wielding men.

“Isn’t good enough. See, we gotta enforce the rules now, otherwise people might think we don’t have a justice system in place”. Moving forward, he pressed the rounded front of the bat against her stomach, pressing in as a promise.

A swallow shook through Bette at his actions. The dig of the bat didn’t necessarily hurt, but she knew it was a forewarning. This wasn’t justice. She wasn’t owed this. She was good. Or so she liked to think. Nice. Bette, friends with most people, always a good word to give. She had limited options. Run, and try and get away, hide out, or stand whatever he had for her. Feet stumbled as she chose the former option, a twitch of a pained smile to her brother as feet shakily made pace away. The first few moments felt like flying. She felt fast as she made a get-away. Flying and free. Until legs flew to the ground. A hit of the bat made contact with her back, knocking her down. The wind swept from her, not fully registering it till she hit the gravel of the road, knees scraped, a wince crying from her as magic palms felt the impact.

“Shouldn’t have run, girl. Cause now you’re going to get it a lot worse,” She just heard those words cut from Orc, as she tried to turn to face him, only for the bat to swing against her temple. Once and then once more. And once more. She tried to raise her hands in surrender, but she started to feel dizzy, and the blood started to feel sticky – blood, wait a second. She was bleeding. Oh. Rattling breaths came out as her hand tried to press against it, feeling out of it as hits of the bat swung at her body again. A congratulatory break that they took was the only relief she got. Just enough to press upwards and drag herself forward. Maybe the others had managed to keep the guys back for a few moments after their break, or they’d had enough….all she knew was that she had a chance to run forward. Dahra felt too far, but there was another place that could shelter her, or maybe help. The fire station was near, Sam was near. A flicker of hope as she tried to surge forward, though the blood kept coming, and legs kept threatening to collapse. Just keep going. It took near all she had, but it came blurrily into view, a faded mirage she managed to collapse into.

“Help me,” The words pleaded from her, cheek sleeping against the floor outside the garage. Panting hard, trying to gain any breath and strength, she grabbed onto the sleeve of who she believed was Sam as he approached. “They’re trying to get me,” She tried to formulate the words to explain, sheer panic ingrained into her eyes as she partially glanced behind, weak as she was. Mustering the ability, fear kicking further in, imagining those who hurt her might be behind her. At first, she believed herself to be safe. Then she saw the looming shadows, seeming gargantuan to her now. Orc. Chaz. Karl. Curling up further, she attempted to move away, but for the time being – they had bigger fish to fry as questions and threats were pointed towards them. People were protecting her. That was good. Cowering away in her place on the floor, it was hard to concentrate across the next few minutes, trying to shield her eyes from the fight. Hating that it was all happening because of her. She’d never minded the odd cranky fight guys had, but this level was all wrong. This town was sick in the head. _I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry._ Breathing in and out, in and out, hating the happenings, stunned into a bit more silence as she heard the voice of Drake. The majority of voices defended her, but not him. She let them speak back and forth, knees pressed together as she sat on the ground and watched, paled face awash with blood mingling into her ginger locks. Nodding as talk of the rules swung round, she mutely acknowledged them, enough for them to go. Letting Sam, Quinn, and Edilio take charge of her now. In safe hands.

“We’re going to get you bandaged up,” A better promise than the last she heard, Sam gave it to her, rewarded with a reassured expression from her.

“What’s this about magic tricks?” Quinn pressed to know, the girl shaking her head, hating the thought of them now.

“It was nothing,” Weak voice tried to defend, wincing as another explained. Cool, they were, sure. Before they got her hurt. Allowing the guys to half-carry her in, her body felt aching, but she had to stay strong, she had someone to get back for. Sitting in the ambulance they had, she tried to remain quiet as they aided her face. Damaged just on the outside, it seemed.

“You can spend the night here, Bette,”.

“No, I have to get home, my brother will need me. But, thanks,” She attempted to reassure thank them, before turning to Edilio, genuine smile offered to him. “I’m sorry I got you kicked.”. He seemed embarrassed as he shrugged. To her, it was a sign he might be one of the good guys their FAYZ needed.

//

Sleep was restless that night. She’d tried it the moment that she got home, giving her brother a hug and calming him, then heading into her bed. Trying to sleep, hoping she’d feel better in the morning. It didn’t come though. Instead, things felt worse, head painful, body weakening. Rising, she didn’t want to disturb anyone, it seemed easier to try and scramble up a note. The pen didn’t succinctly flow however, and the words seemed disjointed both in her mind and paper. It was when her arm slumped down on the table that she realised the need for a note could wait. Struggling to maintain focus, she dragged herself out of the house, following the path to where Dahra was. By the time she’d found herself nearing, one leg was pulling the other, one hand was pressed against the agony of her head, the other limp by her side. Entering the hospital, she could let go a little. Lips chattering together, eyes drooped as she fell, just as Dahra caught her. Time barely registered by her. Next she knew, she was on the table.

“Mm shree…” I’m sorry. Not wanting to be that burden as Dahra shouted out something, Bette found the sound amplified to agony in her. “Mm het hur,” She muttered, barely good hand touching the bloody lump on her head. Questions seemed to not pass by her, blurred in her mind, a moan escaping her as she groaned. “Mmm het hur bad,”.

It was too late, wasn’t it?

She felt like she was drifting.

In and out, in and out. The pain faded a little, the wooziness stealing control of her body now.

One image remained in focus though, even as she lost all else.

“Ta care mm buh er”. Attempting to grab the arm of the girl near her, like it was the most desperate and last action she could do. “Mmm il buh,”. She had to keep him safe.

One last fixture of pain twisted her face.

Then she was free.


End file.
